Acute retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis: a case report with unusual location of calcification.

Retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis is an inflammatory process caused by calcium hydroxyapatite crystal deposition in the longus colli tendon of the prevertebral space, and it may mimic a retropharyngeal infection or abscess. The diagnosis of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis will be made radiologically by the detection of calcifications anterior to C1-C3 and prevertebral soft tissue swelling. We present a case of acute retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis with an unusual location of calcification anterior to the C5-C6 disc.